Many flight vehicles use controllable aerodynamic surfaces, such as fins or canards, to control a flight path of the flight vehicle. Movements of the aerodynamic surfaces can be controlled by a control actuation system in the flight vehicle.
The control actuation system can include multiple electro-mechanical actuators. For example, a brushless direct-current (DC) motor to drive a gear and/or linkage system can position each aerodynamic surface. The control actuation system can be powered by a power source such as a battery.
The performance of a flight vehicle is limited by these components. For example, a flight vehicle will have volume and weight constraints that limit the size of the power source. The electro-mechanical actuators will dissipate electrical power that often leads to unwanted heating of the electro-mechanical actuators. The constraints on the size of the power source and the need to manage the heating of the electro-mechanical actuators limit the performance and range of a flight vehicle.
What are needed are improved control actuation systems that manage power and heating in a flight vehicle to improve performance.